Barragem de Alqueva

Description

On the 11th we drove around the South of this very large dam or Barragem and as we crossed over the impressive dam wall we stopped to do this watercolour sketch of the wonderful colours of this otherwise dry landscape, and Mandy checked for birds spotting some interesting Waxbills which have colonised Portugal from Africa maybe happy with the warmer climate here now.  Cormorants fished nearby.  The brighter greens up on the ridges is deceptive, it looks lush but turns out to be a conifer, Italian Stone Pine.  All the trees in this water-limited place are held in a stunted growth form but all fantastic shapes.